Hi 5! Party of 5! Seventh Heaven! Barangay Padilla.

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We welcomed our FIFTH child a couple of weeks ago. Say hello to Baby Jax! She is a very behaved baby, and hardly complains, but having five children does take a lot more time to get things done. And since paternity leave is almost non-existent, blogging had to take the cut (did you know that there is NO PATERNITY LEAVE for fifth children and above? WHAT? You’d think you’d have to have more time off, not have no time off).

People ask how it is having five children. I think once you reach three children it more or less is the same. When you have your first child it is a major adjustment. You have no idea how it is to be a parent, everything is new, the child is so small. I hardly slept even if our first was also behaved. I just kept checking and checking… paranoia to the maximum level.

For the second child, the adjustment is different. It is more of managing your time. You are less paranoid with all the sicknesses you read on the internet, and are more care-free in taking care of them. It is just you need more time and effort in getting them both ready, and all that comes with that.

The third, you are an expert. Getting them ready in one go. Packing the bags and all the snacks. Getting ready the entertainment in the car, restaurant, waiting area, conference hall. Checking the nearest bathrooms, changing rooms, groceries. It is not as nerve-wracking anymore, and things fall into place. By this time, you already learned the art of sleeping when you can – unless you already learned the art of sleeping less 🙂

After the third, the system is in place, so any additional kids just get in smoothly into that system. It helps that the older ones do get older and end up going to school. So there are times of quiet and relaxation for those in the house (how parents homeschool multiple children, I cannot yet imagine. I will wait for my friends Cocoi and Gay & Marvin and Meme to tell me how that goes). The challenge will become dealing with homework and multiple projects and requirements at the same time. Especially if given the day before it is needed. Not everyone lives near a National Bookstore, you know.

We welcome Jax into our family 🙂 The ates and kuya dote over her. They know to wash their hands before going near her, they know not to kiss if they have cough or colds, they know the drill. They’ve done it before 🙂

Pray for us as we are blessed with these five wonderful children. May we truly be worthy and good examples of Christian life to them.